Shelter
by GirlOnFire33
Summary: F/F With the cards stacked against them, was marrying each other enough? Or will Anne Lister and Ann Walker be pulled apart by providence? A mysterious stranger, a devastating shipwreck and the possibility of time travel... Shibden Hall can withstand the tides of destiny - but are its inhabitants any match for the approaching storm?


Anne Lister knew that when she wanted something done right, she got it done herself; no matter how high the cost or whom she had to outwit. Particularly if that person was a smarmy, discourteous swine who deserved, at the very least, to be horse-whipped black and blue.

Christopher Rawson had disrespected her sister and paid to have Anne beaten up, never mind the fact that he was stealing their family's coal. _My coal, she thought._ It was bold, yes, and that she could admire in the man. His courage at trespassing in her and her family's business could be seen by some as admirable. But he was also a crook through and through and that, Anne could not abide.

As she sat at her desk in her bedroom (now her and Ann's bedroom) Anne smiled contentedly at the peaceful way Ann slept, her blonde tresses fanned out across the pillows and her delicate lips curved upwards in a beautiful smile. Anne, not for the first time, wished she had her wife's skill with a pencil or a paintbrush in capturing with likeness the human form on a page.

As she gazed over at Ann adoringly, the woman began to stir. Anne placed her diary back in its draw and leisurely stretched herself out on top of the covers of their bed, head resting on her arm and quite happy to continue her staring from a new angle.

"Anne…" Ann yawned, her eyes fluttering open slightly and taking in her wife's position and her rather unfortunate state of dress. Anne was fully clothed, whilst she was decidedly and unabashedly naked but for her shift beneath the bedsheets.

"Yes, my sweet," Ann replied easily, a hint of teasing in her voice, "Something I can help you with?"

"You know you mustn't… You ought not to stare at me so! I'll grow quite too accustomed to it and expect everyone to look at me so... so –" Ann broke into a fit of giggles as Anne's fingers stroked her sides tenderly.

"I shall gaze at you Ann, each and every day, for you are my beautiful wife," Anne told her purposefully, but smiled almost shyly as she spoke the word wife.

Ann took in Anne's clothes once more, a little more awake now.

"Are you to be off so soon, my love?"

"Business in Shibden is conducted best early, so I shall leave before breakfast time." Anne kissed Ann's forehead before adding, "I'll be back this afternoon though and I was hoping we could take a trip to the cottage."

Ann's eyes lit up at the prospect and she nodded her head quickly.

"Anne! That sounds perfect. I cannot wait until you shall return!"

Anne finally left Shibden Hall early, just before breakfast time had officially commenced, much to her sister's chagrin. She was hoping to catch the banker and the solicitor before they had started seeing their main clientele for the day.

She took the longer route, walking along the back roads, nearest the cliffs and the beach. She could scarcely believe that yesterday she was married. It felt too good to be true and yet she was elated. It had finally happened. A sudden change in the skyline drew her attention to the sea. _Is that a… ship?_ _Surely not at this time of year and in this area. It will break up on the rocks of the bay._ No sooner had Anne finished her thought, than an almighty crack could be heard and the ship, previously a rather proud looking vessel, began to sink before her eyes, its prow having struck an underwater rock at speed.

Anne felt compelled to act. She couldn't fathom why the ship was there in the first place; the nearest port was not for miles and this was a passenger carrier not a cargo ship by the looks of it, but that was no matter at this point. Any surviving crew and passengers were all to die anyway if she did not do something fast. _But what can I do? Anne thought with an air of frustration._ _Wait, does Ann not have a small rowboat nearby?_

Not more than a quarter of an hour later, Anne was in the rowboat, with Ann fretfully awaiting her return on the beach, still in her nightclothes. The manservant had offered to row but within moments it became clear that was only to be ridiculous and courteous, because no sooner had he begun than he was violently sick over the side of the boat.

Anne took over immediately and they were almost alongside the sorry ship; it was barely above water. Anne watched it in awe for a moment as they drew up close for it was larger than she had first estimated.

"Here! I'm here!" A faint woman's voice shouted from above them. "Please!"

"Throw up the rope," Anne said to the manservant, who nodded weakly, still a pale shade of green.

The rope was tied at the top by shaking hands, but that was all Anne saw before an almighty wave almost caused them to capsize. A moment later and a woman was sliding down the rope and surely blistering her hands as she went, such was the speed of her descent.

Anne caught the woman as soon as she was near enough to be caught. The breath left her body however, when the ship behind them made its final creak of and promptly fell apart.

Anne took a closer look at the ship's only survivor. A hood covered the woman's face and Anne reached to push it back to express her condolences for the loss of her crew, friends or family. The woman put a hand on Anne's arm to stop her at the last second and turned blue eyes to look directly at Anne for the first time. There was a deep gash in her forehead and the rest of her face, the lower half, was covered by an ugly brown fabric.

"I'll have the inquisition later, please. Just, tell Ann I'm sorry, okay? This won't be easy for her and… for you either. Sorry to you too, Anne." With that proclamation, the woman's eyes lost focus. Anne laid her down carefully on the bed of the rowboat.

"To shore," Anne ordered, her mind spinning and her heart beating too quickly in her chest. The woman had known who she was and had…. apologised? As soon as they reached the shore, Ann took her in her arms, hugging her close, but Anne's confused thoughts focused on one detail.

The sea-woman's eyes were of the exact shade and shape of her beloved's. If she hadn't known any better, she would have said that the woman wrapped in the brown cloak being lifted from the rowboat by William, was the very same Ann who had her arms wrapped around her right now. But that was not conceivable, yet alone possible.

"Anne, is she going to live?" Ann asked with a tremble in her voice, _ever the angel_, Anne thought.

"I believe she will," Anne said shortly, before looking up at William and noting his lack of attention. She kissed Ann softly on the lips. The kiss was warm, loving and a promise of the future they planned to embark on. Anne pondered the shipwreck-woman's words with a deep line of worry wrinkling her brow.


End file.
